December 8, 2014

COVENTRY â The wheels of the Central Coventry Fire District keep going around and around with an election for two board members Monday night.
Because the terms are staggered for three, two, and one year, both members, Maureen Jendzejec and Dan Lantz, Jr., were up for re-election with no opponents after having served their one-year terms.
Central Coventry Fire District Board Vice President Marie Baker said because the rules of the charter require an election, even though there are no opponents, the district was going by the book regardless.

December 8, 2014

COVENTRYâ The financial stability of the Coventry Fire District was at the forefront at Tuesday eveningâs meeting at the Anthony Fire Station, where many angry and confused taxpayers, politicians and community leaders gathered for the first public comment period since the WPRI-TVâs recent investigation on Chief Paul Labbadia.
Shortly after the segment aired allegedly showing Labbadia drinking, golfing and smoking marijuana while on call, the state of finances of the Coventry Fire District was released, showing over $450,000 owed to a line of credit in addition to unpaid bills.

December 8, 2014

COVENTRY â The argument for and against allowing a marijuana growing facility in town continued at Wednesdayâs zoning board meeting and will be taken under more advisement.
Speaking in favor of the application was Joanne Leppan, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, who said those in need of the drug suffer from severe medical conditions.
âWe have three compassion centers in the state but theyâre not accessible for so many patients,â she said.

December 8, 2014

COVENTRY â A Coventry High School teacher recently had a rare opportunity to represent the United States as an ambassador on a nine-day trip to China in an effort to share and compare methods of teaching between the two countries.
English Curriculum Coordinator Julie Lima-Boyle took her trip at the end of September and was chosen to go, having been a Rhode Island Teacher of the Year in 2012, through Shanghai Education Magazine, which scouted both state and national Teachers of the Year this summer at a conference in Philadelphia.

November 3, 2014

COVENTRY â The issue on possible salary raises for many school administrators was tabled in a unanimous 4-0 vote on Tuesday evening. The prospect of raises has been a contentious issue for the Coventry community recently, and town council members expressed their opposition to the districtâs plans on Monday.
Town Council President Gary Cote found raises to be extremely âdisrespectfulâ to the taxpayers of the town after many cuts have been made to school programs because of lack of funding.

November 3, 2014

COVENTRY â An annual block party fundraising event raised more than $15,000 for Hasbro Childrenâs Hospital.
For the third year, RE/MAX 1st Choice real estate agent Mark DeCosta brought people from the community, family and friends and RE/MAX 1st Choice agents together for a night of live entertainment, dancing, food, drink and raffles to raise funds for the children and through this fundraiser, DeCosta was able to present a $15,000 check to Hasbro last Thursday.

November 3, 2014

COVENTRYâ Some serious controversy was stirred up from the possible salary increase for Coventry school administrators that was brought to light at Mondayâs town council meeting. School Committee Chairperson Kathy Patenaude explained that it was only meant to be discussed by the committee to âput it on the radar,â as there hasnât been a raise for the districtâs administrators in several years.
âIt was just a beginning of an exploration,â Patenaude said. âWe wanted to at least look at the policy and figure out what our future was.â

November 3, 2014

COVENTRYâ Over 65 golfers played in the first annual fundraising golf tournament benefitting the Rhode Island Childrenâs Golf Course in Coventry on Monday.
The six-hole course uses the discipline of golf to educate children with core life values while learning fundamentals of the sport.
The tournament was held at Valley Country Club where men and women, both newcomers and local professionals, played during a picturesque fall day.